Wacky tuning issue

Ukecaster

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OK, this is a new one for me. New/Used Outdoor soprano, metal friction tuners. Consistently, I tune up, sounds great. Then play a song. After the song, most strings have gone way sharp :-0 What the?? I've experienced strings going flat, but NEVER strings going sharp, on any instrument so suddenly. Wooden instruments sometimes go sharp when exposed to higher humidity over a few hours, but never in 2 minutes, and I especially don't expect this from a plastic uke. What gives??
 
weird...is it always flat when you start? Maybe play a tune, then check your tuning. What kind of strings? Is it stored in a warm place? Maybe it cools off a bit from being played and the strings contract...
 
I shy away from anything with friction tuners, much prefer geared.
 
Most likely the strings are binding in the nut. There is tension on the strings between the nut and tuner. As you play, the strings vibrate and get pulled tighter by this residual tension. I have had this happen many times when I file a nut and don't make the slots quite wide enough. Easy fix, just make sure the strings slide freely in the nut.
 
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In my opinion, the newer ones are much better in sound, feel, and tuning. I sent the version one back after I tried it. I did look at it while I had it to see if it could take geared tuners, and decided it wouldn't. The new ones have a special design to accept the geared tuners, but are still hollow otherwise.
There is another geared tuner, I think 4B that will fit it that is better than the stock...but still friction.

I can't remember for sure, but the nut slots may be too narrow. If they are too narrow, or even not slick enough the strings have trouble returning to pitch. If they look to be the right width (just slightly wider than each string) you can try running a sharp number 2 pencil through the slots to get the graphite on there for lube.
You really do have to play with a lighter touch with the higher frets on those too.
 
Oops. Looks like Ukuleleblues beat me to it.
 
I remembered the main reason you can't upgrade the old ones with the newer tuners. The holes in the peghead are too small. It's not like wood where you can just ream them larger....That in addition to the hollow build...the set screws wouldn't work in the old design either.
 
I have two ukes with friction tuners and both stay in tune forever. As a matter of fact my Opio with friction tuners is the most stable instrument I own.

Those above have identified the issue. I have used the pencil trick many times, graphite is a great dry lube, works a charm
 
OK, this is a new one for me. New/Used Outdoor soprano, metal friction tuners. Consistently, I tune up, sounds great. Then play a song. After the song, most strings have gone way sharp :-0 What the?? I've experienced strings going flat, but NEVER strings going sharp, on any instrument so suddenly. Wooden instruments sometimes go sharp when exposed to higher humidity over a few hours, but never in 2 minutes, and I especially don't expect this from a plastic uke. What gives??

Hi John, play for a while then tune, give the instrument, strings & yourself time to warm up before tuning.
 
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Friction tuners are fine. The ones on my vintage uke are ninety years old and they stay in tune for ages. They wouldn't cause the strings to go sharp anyway. I'd say it may be a string settling issue or maybe something related to the plastic material combined with body warmth. Or pressing too hard.
 
Ukuleleblues has it right. I have found that it is not just the width of the slots that can cause a bind, sometimes it is the material and how it interacts with the strings. I have ukes with bone, ebony, and plastic and quite often I will lift the strings out of the slot and let it back down and a particular string might be a few cents or more sharper. Not always, but it happens. On some ukuleles I have found it is more prevelant. At other times it happens for no apparent reason... maybe the weather.

As someone who is more obsessive about exact (or as close as possible) tuning and checking intonation at various points/strings on the fretboard it seems to be noticed more. What is hilarious is that when playing it is almost possible to perfectly fret the strings so they are never perfect intonation when playing.

John
 
As long as the strings don't move out of the divots, there shouldn't be a problem. Boat Paddle ukuleles didn't have any nut slots, just pins.

John
 
One thing I do is run some 600 grit wet and dry in the nut slots (divots) to make sure they are smooth. With an outdoor uke, the divots are probably molded and not cut, but smoothing them out might help a little.

John
 
Same thing happens to me, when I visit friend house. I think outside cold temperature may cause this problem. My uke always shift sharp and I have to tune down under warmer room temperature.
 
I remembered the main reason you can't upgrade the old ones with the newer tuners. The holes in the peghead are too small. It's not like wood where you can just ream them larger....That in addition to the hollow build...the set screws wouldn't work in the old design either.

Widening holes with a hand reamer is no problem, I've done it dozens of times.
 
Most likely the strings are binding in the nut. There is tension on the strings between the nut and tuner. As you play, the strings vibrate and get pulled tighter by this residual tension. I have had this happen many times when I file a nut and don't make the slots quite wide enough. Easy fix, just make sure the strings slide freely in the nut.

This is correct. You have to widen the nut slots. Happens all the time.
(I wouldn't lubricate)
 
I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding here:
Widening holes with a hand reamer is no problem, I've done it dozens of times.
Me too. I think it's the best way. I have a nice 3/8" reamer I got from Stewmac years ago. That said, we're talking about the Outdoor Ukulele (FIRST version) specifically. The headstock is hollow and it is only reinforced a bit around where the friction pegs go in.

P.S. - I've heard great things about your instruments!


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Bill1 might've figure out the issue here.
Hopefully the new strings work out well for you.
 
One way you can check to see if the nut is binding under tension is to tune the string. Then press down hard on the part of the string between the nut and the tuner and release. Then check the tuning. If it is sharp it may be binding. Now go to the playing part of the string and bend it sharp and release. Check the tuning, If it is flat you need to work the nut/string clearance, as there is an issue. It should slide free.

Culprits include, soft plastic nut, nut slot V shaped or too narrow, sharp spot on nut that nicked or cut string making the string un-smooth (is that a word?), dried sweat/beer/other unidentifed sticky stuff on string, sunspots or demons/evil spirits (build a blue bottle tree for your yard, instructions here: https://youtu.be/UyBEhtFU3D8)
 
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